About Safety Planning . . .

A safety plan can help you stay safer even when you think you won't leave and even if your abuser doesn't live with you. If you are concerned about your safety, develop a safety plan. Do it for yourself. Do it for the safer life that you and your children deserve.

A safety plan is a tool
to help you think about what you can do to protect yourself
from abuse. This information can get you started.
To speak to someone about a personal plan that suits your situation, call your local
domestic violence program.

The information here comes from the collective
experience of domestic violence shelters, police, prosecutors, and other battered women. A safety plan is a
tool that has worked for others, and it can help you think about ways in which you can stay safer.
After you’ve reviewed this information, you may
want more help. Confidential, free service is
available to you when you call a domestic
violence program.

Things I can do before a
violent incident . . .

Identify a neighbor I can tell about the violence
and ask them to call the police if they hear a
disturbance at my house.

Devise a code word or signal to use with family,
friends, or neighbors when I need them to call
the police.

Open my own savings account to increase my
independence.

Leave money, an extra set of keys, copies of
important documents, and extra clothes with
someone I trust.

Decide where I’ll go if I leave my home, even if
right now I don’t think it will come to that.

Identify a domestic-violence shelter to call. Find
out if a friend or relative will let me stay with
them or lend me money.

Keep the shelter hotline close at hand and keep
change or a calling card on me at all times.

Identify which door, window, stairwell, or elevator
offers the quickest way out of my home, and
practice my escape route.

Teach my children to dial 911

Pack a bag and have it ready to go in case I must leave home. Keep the bag in a private but
accessible place where I can grab it quickly.
I’ll need to take the following items:

Important papers — such as divorce papers;
school and vaccination records; and birth
certificates for me and my children

Clothing

Keys — house, car, or work

Medications

If I already have an order of protection, I need to
keep it with me at all times.

Review my safety plan as often as possible.

Things I can do during a
violent incident...

If an argument starts, stay close to a room or area with easy access to an exit. Stay away from
the bathroom, kitchen, or anywhere near
weapons.

Get away. Try to get my packed bag on the way
out, but if it’s too dangerous, just leave. Go to a
relative, friend, or shelter.

Call 911 or my local police.
The police must try to protect you from
future abuse. They are required to provide or
arrange transportation to a hospital or other
safe place for you.
The police should also arrest the abuser if
they have enough evidence of a crime.
They must give you a paper which explains
your rights and lists a social service agency
that can help.

Use my judgement and intuition. If the situation
is very dangerous, I can give the abuser what he
wants to calm him down. I have to protect
myself and the kids until we are out of danger.

Things I can do after a
violent incident . . .

Get medical attention immediately. Ask the
clinic to take pictures of my injuries.

Make a police report, even if I don’t want the
abuser arrested. The report will become evidence of past abuse which might prove
helpful to me in the future. The abuser will not
be notified that you made the report . . . Make
the report as soon as possible after the abuse.

Save evidence, in case I decide to take legal
action now or later. Evidence includes medical
records and police reports, dated photos of my
injuries or the house in disarray, torn clothing,
any weapons used, and statements from
anyone who saw the attack.

Go to court to get an order of protection from
domestic abuse. I can call the local domestic
violence program to learn more about this
option and to get help with court action.

Seek out people who want to help me.
Decide who I can talk openly with to receive
the support I need. Plan to attend a victim’s
support group for at least 2 weeks to learn
more about myself and the relationship.

During an emergency,
call 911 or local police.

I can increase my safety
and prepare in advance
for the possibility of further
violence.
I have choices about how to best get
myself and my children to safety.